Surface conforming disposable surgical preparation applicator

ABSTRACT

A combined surgical preparation compartmentized applicator tray feeding solution to and individually storing therein ready for use hand gripped surgical preparation applicators. Each of the surgical applicators has a sponge-like material mounted on a hand grip portion so that the sponge material is biased to a convex shape when stored in the tray to receive preparation solution. In applying the sponge portion of the applicator carrying the solution it conforms to the body contour and discharges the solution evenly and completely to all abutting surfaces.

ilmte States atet sesame Reynolds Aug. 29, 1972 [54] SURFACE CONFORMINGDISPOSABLE 1,805,299 5/1931 Van Sam ..401/ 130 SURGICAL PREPARATION F RET APPLICATOR 0 IGN PATEN S 0R APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Verne J.Reynolds, 148 Jefierson, 577,563 6/1933 Germany ..128/269 Boise, Idaho83702 Primary ExaminerLawrence W. Trapp [22] Fled: March 1971Attorney-Jones and Lockwood [21] Appl. No.: 125,141

[57] ABSCT Related US. Application Data A comblned surgical preparatloncompartmentlzed i 1 Dwlslon of 839,963, y 8, 1969, applicator trayfeeding solution to and individually 3,613,685- storing therein readyfor use hand gripped surgical preparation applicators. Each of thesurgical applica- [52] US. Cl. ..128/269, 15/244R tors has a Sponge likematerial mounted on a hand [51] hit. Cl. ..A61m g p portion so that thep g material is biased to a [58] Flew of convex shape when stored in thetray to receive 1/ preparation solution. In applying the sponge portionof the applicator carrying the solution it conforms to the [56]References cued body contour and discharges the solution evenly andUNITED STATES PATENTS completely to all abutting surfaces.

956,105 4/1910 Knickerbocker ..15/244 CH 5 Claims, 9

SURFACE CONFORWN G DISPOSABLE SURGICAL PREPARATION APPLICATOR This is adivisional application of my copending application, Ser. No. 839,963,filed July 8, 1969 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,685.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The invention isdirected to surgical preparation equipment and implements for applyingdesired solutions to body parts being prepared for surgery.

2. The Prior Art and Practices Most surgical preparations of the surfacebeing subjected to surgery are performed after the anesthesia isestablished. The method of preparation has been relatively unchanged formany years except to vary the solutions. The present methods are seen aswanting for real thoroughness. Whether the applications are gloved handusing gauze sponges, or by sponge forceps using cotton balls or gauze,the applicators do not fit the body contours nor do they have a smoothsurface free of wrinkles, etc., with equal pressure at all points. Thepresent methods are time consuming because of failure of the applicatorto fit contours and make wide area applications. The present method isusually not a complete set up, but needs many steps and movements to setup in the operating or prep room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide asurface applicator that through varying pressure adjusts itself to flat,concave or convex surfaces with an approximate 4 to inches evenly spreadstroke.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of theinvention, reference is had to the drawings, the written description andthe claims which follow.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the solution tray and individualapplicators stored therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tray and an applicator alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan fragmentary view of the solution filling andfeeding trough attached to one side of the tray;

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of one of the applicators shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the applicator of FIG. 4assembled;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view of the applicator in FIG. 5 with the frontwall of the handle portion removed and the sponge portion in extendedconvex position with the biasing spring extended;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the sponge portion pressed intoa concave position with the biasing spring compressed;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing another form of biasingspring; and

FIG. 9 is a further modified form that the biasing spring may take.

Throughout the description, like reference numbers refer to similarparts.

As assembly of a tray and applicator is shown at 1. The tray 2 iselongated and relatively shallow and carries the applicators generallyindicated at 3.

The tray 2 has at one end spaced apart transversely extending partitions4 that form individual compartments to receive the applicators 3. Theother end or half of the tray at 5 is empty and provides a storage spacefor sterile gloves and instruments. The tray 2 may be molded of suitablyplastic material and has an elongated side wall which has a trough 7extending therealong through the extent of the transverse partitions 4.The wall 6 has vertical slots 60 in the trough area and there arecorresponding vertically extending slots 7a in the inside face of outerwall of the trough, and slots 7b in the sloping bottom 7b of the trough.

"These slots receive removable partitions 8. The wall 6 of the tray hasfeed canals 6b therethrough leading from the trough 7to the individualcompartments in which the applicators 3 are stored. The varioussolutions as desired for the applicators are placed in the respectivecompartments of the trough 7 and feed through the canals 6b to theindividual compartments in the tray 2. The bottom of the tray 2 has aconcave surface 9 that conforms to the extended convex surface of thesponge portion of the applicators 3 to be described as they rest thereinto absorb solution.

THE APPLICATOR The applicator is generally indicated at 3 and itcooperates with the tray 2 for storing and receiving its charge ofsolution. The applicator is designed to be easily gripped by the hand ofthe user and to apply solution over an evenly spread stroke of four tofive inches in width. It has pressure applied to the handle portion, andthe sponge portion conforms to the body areas covered. The hand grip onthe applicator is at a good spaced relation away from the body portionsbeing treated.

The applicator 3 has a hollow handle or hollow housing 12 of generallyrectangular parallelepiped shape and open at its bottom edge. It has afront face 13 and a rear 14 with a top 15 and ends 16 and 17. It isabout 4 to 4 i2 inches wide, about 2 z inches high and aboutthree-fourths inch thick. The lower edges 13a and 14a of the respectivefront and back are concave in shape with straight edge portions 13b and14b at each end terminating at the sides 16 and 17. The handle 12 aswell as the other parts may be made of plastic and the whole applicatoris disposable after use.

Housed within the hollow handle 12 are two lever members 18 and 19.Lever member 18 is narrower and it fits within wider member 19.

Lever member 18 has a front 21 and a rear 22 spaced therefrom. Thebottom of the front is straight and the left end, see FIG. 4, extends upto an acute angle 21b and curves in a convex manner while the right endextends up at an obtuse angle and curves back convexly to join thecurved left-hand end. The back 22 is identically shaped to the front 21and there is a peripheral wall joining the front 21 and back 22. A pivotpin receiving aperture 24 extends through the front 21 and back 22 inthe left-hand end. An arcuate slot 21d is cut or formed in front 21 anda like slot 22d in alignment therewith is in the back 22. A pivot pin 25extends through a pivot receiving aperture in the handle and passesthrough the pivot apertures 24 in lever 18 and on into pivot receivingaperture 12c in the back 14.

The other lever member 19 is like shaped to the lever member 18. It hasa front 31 and a back 32 that are joined by a peripheral wall thatextends at the bottom and along the top so that the end is left open inthe lever to receive the other lever 18. Pivot apertures 34 receiveanother pivot pin 25 that passes through apertures 13c and 120 in thelower right-hand cornerof the handle. Arcuate slots 31d and 32d areformed in the front 31. and back 32, respectively, of the lever 19. Inassembled position, the arcuate slots have extending therethrough acommon slot pin that is secured in apertures 13d and 14d in the handle12.

In the form shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, a circular biasing spring 27is housed within the hollow handle 12 where it is secured to the top 15by a rivet 27a. This presses against the top walls of the levers l8 and19 and biases them to downwardly pivoted position as shown in FIGS. 2,and 6.

A sponge or foam rubber strip 28 that has high solution absorbingproperties is secured to the respective bottom portion of the peripheralwalls of the levers 18 and 19 by suitable adhesive. This sponge orabsorbing member assumes the convex position as shown in FIG. 2 in thehoused position in the tray and butts the concave surface 9 in the traybottom where it absorbs solution.

Various solutions may be selectively inserted in the respectivedivisions of the feed trough 7 and fed through the canals 6b to theindividual compartments in the tray housing the respective applicators3.

In FIG. 7, it will be observed that pressure has been applied to thehandle 12 and the sponge portion 28 of the applicator has been pressedagainst a convex shaped body portion (not shown) whereupon the sponge 28assumes a concave conforming shape through the pivoting of therespective levers 18 and 19.

In FIG. 8 a modified form of biasing spring 36 is illustrated which isof arcuate C-shape and is suspended from the inside top of the handle bya rivet 36a.

In FIG. 9, a still further type of biasing spring is shown as an elasticband 37 that extends from one lever pivot pin 25 to the opposite pivotpin and rides against the top peripheral walls of the levers 18 and 19urging them downwardly.

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical preparation solution applicator comprising an elongatedhollow handle open at its bottom which is concave in shape in itselongated direction,

a pair of lever members pivoted within the elongated hollow handle ateach end adjacent the open bottom,

an elongated sponge-like member for absorbing and dispensing solutionattached to said levers so as to position it at the open end of saidhandle, and

a spring means in said hollow handle pressing against said lever membersto urge them outwardly whereupon the sponge-like member attached theretoextends in a convex shape.

2. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 1 wherein saidlevers are hollow triangular-like in shape and are pivoted at theirvertex to said handle, one of the lever members having a portion thereofswinging within the other lever as they both pivot, an arcuate slot insaid levers and a guide pin extending thr said I tsand secu edi saiddle,s id arcuate ts bei ng so shaped and posr i i o ned at theysimultaneously slide past said stationary guide pin.

3. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein saidspring means is a generally circular shaped spring attached to theinside of the top portion of the hollow handle.

4. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein saidspring means is a pair of C-shaped springs attached at one end to thetop portion of the

1. A surgical preparation solution applicator comprising an elongatedhollow handle open at its bottom which is concave in shape in itselongated direction, a pair of lever members pivoted within theelongated hollow handle at each end adjacent the open bottom, anelongated sponge-like member for absorbing and dispensing solutionattached to said levers so as to position it at the open end of saidhandle, and a spring means in said hollow handle pressing against saidlever members to urge them outwardly whereupon the sponge-like memberattached thereto extends in a convex shape.
 2. A surgical preparationapplicator according to claim 1 wherein said levers are hollowtriangular-like in shape and are pivoted at their vertex to said handle,one of the lever members having a portion thereof swinging within theother lever as they both pivot, an arcuate slot in said levers and aguide pin extending through said slots and secured in said handle, saidarcuate slots being so shaped and positioned that they simultaneouslyslide past said stationary guide pin.
 3. A surgical preparationapplicator according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is a generallycircular shaped spring attached to the inside of the top portion of thehollow handle.
 4. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2wherein said spring means is a pair of C-shaped springs attached at oneend to the top portion of the hollow handle and respectively pressingagainst the lever members.
 5. A surgical preparation applicatoraccording to claim 2 wherein said spring means is an elastic bandsecured at each end to the adjacent pivoted ends of the levers andpassing over the backs of said lever members.